History of Gamma Eta
Texas Tech University opened the Abilene School of Pharmacy in August of 2007. Forty students in the inaugural class were responsible for starting all student-led organizations. A handful of motivated and eager students decided that Phi Delta Chi was a great fit for the campus and wanted to begin a legacy of leadership and Brotherhood that was distinctive. In October of 2007, three students from Abilene attended the annual Southcentral Founders' Day in Dallas with other Phi Delta Chi Brothers from the region. The fellow and Brotherhood witnessed at the event was something the three students knew was needed at the young campus. After Founders' Day, the process began to launch Phi Delta Chi in Abilene. In the fall of 2008, a pinning ceremony took palce and the colony was established.
Prospective Brothers organized a professional diabetes awareness project, executed a letter-writing fundraiser, held a tacky Christmas sweater party, organized a Bingo Night, and promoted interfraternal relationships by competing against Kappa Psi in a bowling tournament. In the Spring of 2008, Phi Delta Chi teamed up with the local NCPA chapter and put on a successful crawfish boil at the school.
As a pledge class, we held each other accountable and stayed motivated to make Phi Delta Chi a part of this campus. We establishd our Chapter on this campus from the ground up, while other fraternities are extensions of our other campus in Amarillo. We feel much harder work and dedication was requiredfrom all Brothers to establish Phi Delta Chi. Since installation, Gamma Eta has promoted professionalism, Brotherhood, and leadership for the growing student population at this new school.
“This leadership demonstrated by the founding members of the Gamma Eta Chapter exemplefiesthe character of our Phi Delta Chi Brotherhood,” said Dr. Jose Vega, assistant professor. “Their dedication will benefit the professional development of future pharmacy generations.”
“Being a founding Brother of Phi Delta Chi has been much like being a member of the inaugural class at this new school,” said Rachel Harris. “There have been many hardships and we have struggled to establish traditions, but it has been worth it because of the bonds we have made and the Brotherhood we have shared.”
About the Campus
Texas Tech expanded its pharmacy program into Abilene in January 2006. Since that time, a 40,000 square-foot campus has been constructed and classes began in August 2007. The Abilene regional campus will support all four years of the School of Pharmacy's Pharm.D. Program. It will enroll 40 new students each academic year and increase the SOP's total class sizes from 90 to 130. By the start of the 2010-2011 academic year, Abilene will be home to 160 pharmacy students. Approximately 75% of course work for Abilene students is delivered by pharmacy faculty in Abilene; the remainder is delivered via multi-cast, web-based streaming video from instructors located on all four Texas Tech School of Pharmacy campus cities. Other fraternities on campus include Kappa Psi, Phi Lambda Sigma, and Rho Chi.
Written by: Rebecca Briggs
Gamma Eta was founded November 14, 2009. The Chapter received their Charter on August 6th, 2011 at Grand Council in Buffalo, NY.